haiku (one-a-day)

This post was created for a very specific purpose: writing a haiku a day. Some of our readers have expressed an interest in haiku. And some have left haiku in our comments on various posts. I wanted to create a space for our readers to come back to, anytime they wanted, and drop in a daily haiku.

Clark Strand is a former Zen Buddhist monk. In 1996 he left his position as senior editor of Tricycle: The Buddhist Review to write and teach full time. In Seeds from a Birch Tree, he describes haiku as the following:

A haiku is a seventeen-syllable poem about the season. Arranged in three lines of five, seven, and five syllables, and balanced on a pause, a haiku presents one event from life happening now. However much we may say about haiku, its history or its various schools, it is difficult to go beyond these three simple rules: form, season, and present mind.

Natalie introduced me to haiku poetry. This year, I am committed to write one each day (or more if I choose).

Haiku is a precise way of working with words and I have found that it does lead me to other writing: poems, essays, etc. I’ve also learned that it helps me to focus on detail, finding just the right word (with the right number of syllables!) and, yes, it is a bite-sized writing practice. I’m happy to hear others exploring and playing with the haiku form.

According to Clark Strand, all you need to write haiku is some familiarity with the form and a simple notebook:

The correct way to use a haiku diary is just to be very free and open. Don’t set a single format. Don’t organize the book five haiku to a page or limit it to poems and dates, excluding prose. You may even find that you jot down an occasional phone number or appointment in its pages when no other book is handy, or — if you are an artist — a sketch of some interesting scene.

Write down your haiku just as they come to mind, without too much deliberation over whether they are good or bad. Improvement takes place slowly, so set them down the way they come and stay alert for the next opportunity to write.

haiku walk

In the summer of 2006, Natalie took us on a field trip to some of her favorite places at Ghost Ranch, New Mexico. We wrote, swam, and took a haiku walk up Box Canyon. For me, Ghost Ranch was one of the most inspiring trips of the year. Natalie had us follow Clark Strand’s outline for walking and writing haiku:

In the simplest form, writing haiku is closer to collecting shells than searching for the proper word. When you go to the shore to collect shells, you just walk along in a relaxed way, now and then stooping down to look at something interesting or beautiful. Sometimes you pick up a fragment for its shape or color, and sometimes a fully formed shell. If you take a daily haiku walk in this same spirit, soon you will find that haiku come all by themselves.

the space you created in your life a few minutes ago now becomes the space to write a poem

Last year, I walked a local labyrinth in St. Paul to write haiku. But it can be as simple as walking around your neighborhood. Or walking around the block. After a while you won’t need to structure your walks anymore. You’ll know the right moment to write.

haiku – looking out, looking in

Haiku as a poetry form provides a way to be present to the outside, in order to go deeper within. Japanese poet, Matsuo Basho, is known for his haiku. In the year before he died, he wrote the following verse:

Chrysanthemums bloom
in a gap between the stones
of a stonecutter’s yard

Near the end of Seeds from a Birch Tree, Strand speaks of Basho’s greatest work, The Narrow Road to the Deep North:

Haiku, in many ways the most outward, most concrete, and most perpetually grounded form of poetry, is also the most inward. It requires a lot of inner work.

Basho titled his greatest work Oku no Hosomichi (The Narrow Road to the Deep North). Basho traveled a long way north on a journey with his student and fellow poet Sora and kept a diary of his travels. The diary contains some of his most famous haiku.

Here’s my haiku for today. I wrote it in the shower in the early a.m. (I do some of my best writing in the shower). The floor was ice cold. I stepped through a ray of sun, shining through the bathroom window. Maybe I was sleepwalking. 8)

Thank you, QM, for sharing the details of haiku and for reminding me about taking a haiku walk. I am so grateful that you have dedicated a space for writers to share haiku. I hope that many will leave a trail of haiku breadcumbs for all of us to follow.

This is a great post, QM. The green in the photo is amazing. Would it be silly for me to say it doesn’t even look natural, it’s such an intense and odd color?

Speaking of intense, this is an intense day at work. I didn’t want to comment on this post until I had a haiku to add. One came to me after a marathon of meetings, sitting back, looking up at the ceiling. Here it is:

the florescent lights
oddly soothing in their way
still, outside beckons

QM, thank you for this great post. I had already decided that a haiku a day would be good for me to do, and then you came up with these very instructive and informative guides. As little as I get outside when it’s cold…dash to work; store; meetings; home again;
still, living on the edge of town, with my view of mountains, etc. I will try to get as much nature into my poems as I can. The other morning, I raised the shade and surprised a deer breaking her fast, only inches away from my window. It prompted me to write:

deer in my garden,

surprised brown eyes on both sides

of glass in between!

One day, as I was counting syllables, it reminded me of when I was editor of the front page of my high school newspaper, and one of my tasks was to write the headlines. The similarities of haiku and headlines being that headlines have to tell what the story is about and fit into a very specific, limited space. It was a challenge which I enjoyed and had fun with.
YB, I had to grin when I got this mental image of you staring up at the lights, wishing you were outside!

ybonesy, I like your haiku about light, inside and out. And how odd the light is in most work places. In some ways, it’s the quality of light the day I took the birch shot that makes that green so intense.

It was taken the same day as this shot – Calm Before The Storm (LINK). And a huge storm was moving into Minnesota that night. It’s almost like the grass behind the tree is an eerie mint green.

Marylin, I love your haiku. Such a sense of humor…it made me smile, imagining those two sets of brown eyes. 8)

I think it is wonderful that you’re going to do the haiku a day. You might be surprised with how much nature is also around when you are dashing to and home from work. It always surprises me when I pay attention.

I know what you mean about the limited space of headlines. Definitely a challenge. Just the right words are needed.

BTW, after a while, you get to break the rules, too. And write haiku about anything you want to write it about. Whatever gets us to write! It’s really the dedicated practice of seeing that changes us.

Hope you are staying warm out your way. We are headed back into the deep freeze tomorrow. Extremes are always good for the writing!

QM, I am willing to finally bare my soul! I have always surrounded myself by nature. I thrive on the relaxation & joy I gain, whether it be the river, the beach, the places I have visited, or the exterior of the places I have called “home”. For years J & I were fortunate enough to rent the farm house we affectionately called “Green Acres”.
Now we find ouselves in the home we invested in, surrounded by trees & wildlife. We like seclusion. I could never live in a city, though I know well that it works for others. Most of our observations here are very much like the description that Marylin wrote about in her comments. Behind glass windows, we have witnessed the true beauty that nature offers! Deer, squirrels, all varieties of wild birds, and the occasional wild turkeys that drink from our stream & make their journey( to wheverver the heck they go) through our back yard. Open a door & they dash away!
I have never tried my hand at Haiku, though I find these posts to be quite interesting. I made a decision to try one a week. I have never done this type of practice before. I wrote one last week & one today. It surprised me that both had to do with the loss of 5 trees the week before Christmas. We had a series of ice storms. The trees stood little chance of surviving the weight of the heavy ice. We sat in our living room, nothing we could do. In a period of only 2 days we lost a Weeping Willow tree, a cherry tree, & 3 others . Two of them completely uprooted by the domino effect. Mind you, these were tall & well established trees, at least 70 feet tall or better. I have an issue looking at the devastion still there. Well, what this is leading to are last weeks haiku & todays, so I will type them in that order.

diddy, I was just going to head to bed and decided to check for comments. I’m glad I did. Your haiku are wonderful. Don’t change a thing. I’m so excited you are doing the haiku practice once a week. It is a great gift to yourself (and to us).

I feel for the loss of those trees. I know what the land around your home looks like and the deep well of trees that drops in front of the house is part of the serenity of your place. I’m so sorry you lost them. It is a kind of grieving process.

We are surrounded by a few old growth oaks here. And every time we get our violent spring and summer storms, I’m so afraid one or more is going to topple. I can see why the haiku led you to those beautiful trees. It’s kind of a memorial to them, a thing of honor.

Looking forward to your weekly practices. Anything else you discover along the way, about the practice, your writing, the haiku, would be wonderful to learn. I’m heading to bed soon. Sweet dreams to all in your part of the country.

breathepeace, no crisis here. Just the second appointment in a series to get a crown on. She cemented the porcelain into place today. I feel like a new woman (chomp, chomp). 8)

Yes, the tenderness revealed…trees and people. Underneath the skin. The great thing about haiku is there are so few words, the interpretations can stretch out beyond…like when I used the 1895, I had no idea if anyone would know what I mean. You did.

And, yes, dental equipment was much newer than the building. I had no idea that building was that old until I slowed down and paid attention to the numbers etched near the steps as I was walking inside.

QM, thanks for your comments. Anyway you can correct sushine to sunshine? I laughed after I sent off the comment (it pays to proof read before hitting submit comment )! I’m still adjusting to the laptops smaller , more sensitive keyboard! I was afraid that anyone reading sushine would think I had taken a stroll down by the stream & that some fish had jumped out of the water & I was eating a raw frozen fish! I hope to find myself feeling more comfortable with haiku. As the year goes by I look forward to this practice!
Pleasant dreams to you & if you & yb are still meeting tomorrow, I wish you both well in your decision process. D

Hi gang, hope it’s ok if I just jump right in. All your haiku are wonderful, you folks rock! I just learned about haiku this week, QM your blog being very timely for me. And the 1895 thing was very clever. My initial thoughts about haiku regarded the spiritualiy side, trying to rejuvenate .. I love thinking about these things.. even though I have broken the rules on several. They are cathartic. Happy writing all.

OK, I woke up feeling silly, but it’s true…I keep thinking of haiku. counting syllables of lines of words, and when this dawned on me, I thought “this is crazy!”
(QM, it’s your fault, you told me that later we could break rules…just kidding, but you can see the progression of the 3 haiku above, from the serious to the ridiculous.) Anyway, I am having fun with haiku.

freespirit, welcome. I’m delighted you have jumped right in. “Ice sliding on leaves” and “clouds rush by in sequenced steps” – great visual lines. I hope you keep writing with us. I find the practice cathartic, too.

I stepped outside today in our yard to start the car (it’s -4 here today, -24 with the windchill) and there was haiku glowing all around me. 8)

marylin, it’s so great that you’re having so much fun with these. I get silly with them, too. They are fun to write. And so grounding. Laughter is the best medicine. And to have laughter surface in haiku form – what better thing than that!

The “sage brush dusted powder white” – ah, what a lovely western image. We don’t get the same kind of sage here. I miss it.

Marylin, I forgot one more thing I wanted to mention about your comment (#22) – the “thinking in haiku” that happens when we write that kind of poetry, that’s part of the structure of the practice. And a part I love.

I find it very grounding. And comforting to know how few words we need to communicate the things that are important. Everything can be distilled down to its essence – it’s true nature.

QM, thanks for this post. You have given me a great introduction to the writing of haiku, all right here!

I love the idea of a haiku walk that opens up into writing. Sounds like an open space of serenity.

The haiku you show by Matsuo Basho is amazing – so much is said beyond the images. I started thinking about the messages between the lines, how they can be more palpable then the words that are said. The chrysathamums that grow in the spaces, the space between the breath, it goes on and on.

Thanks for this definition. I’ve been taking a stab at Haiku on my poetry blog. I’m not sure I’m exactly following the rules, but I am busily having fun. My sense is the “balance” element is about paradox or contradiction.

C, your comment has such a peacefulness to it. The haiku walk, yes, it seems to create a space inside to write, a place to let something come in, inspired by the ordinary. All the things between the spaces are so important. Yet many times invisible. We really have to pay attention to see them.

For me, it’s so tempting to stay distracted (or frozen, one or the other) so that it becomes hard to see. I’m happy for any time I let myself practice and stay connected to what’s important to me. I hope you’ll post a haiku here once in a while. Would be lovely to see them.

TIV, I’m glad you’re having fun with the haiku. I like how Clark Strand describes that “balance” piece:

A haiku is a seventeen-syllable poem about the season. Arranged in three lines of five, seven, and five syllables, and balanced on a pause…

I don’t know if it’s as much a contradiction as a nice little surprise that happens when we let the space open up. For me at least, it’s not so much a thinking thing as it is something I don’t even understand. The best ones come when I don’t think too much. I hope you’ll come back and share a few of your haiku with us.

Thanks QM, Ditto Marylin regarding the “silly” feeling and counting. I also agree with QM about feeling grounded. I have just discovered the haiku, and the best part so far for me is I can compose one on the spot, in a very short time during breaks outside. Gives me a peaceful feeling. It was very cold this morning at the beach and as I stood on the balcony looking across at the roofline of the adjacent building this one popped out in about two minutes.

oliverowl, there have been 2 Sundogs here in the last few weeks. Liz snapped a few phone pics of one day before yesterday. I had never seen one before (that I remembered or knew what I was looking at). Really cool.

I went on a haiku walk this Sunday. I was weary from the preceding week, and feeling blue. I wrote the first haiku after twenty minutes of walking along the sidewalk in my town, and the second after an hour along the same sidewalk:

a distant sun pales
her heart turns to ice again
she walks searthing warmth

C, I loved that you added the timing of the minutes into your walk when you wrote each haiku. That added a richness for me about the practice of walking and writing. Creating space. I noticed the futher along in the walk, how the focus shifts outside to the cedar and a hope that creeps in. I hope your blues have lightened since last week. Thank you for sharing. And to Clark Strand and Natalie, gratitude for passing down this practice.

marylin, I like your two haiku together. And loneliness, the old Black Dog. I remember a write I did about it. Natalie talks about the Black Dog of loneliness in Bones. It reminded me of a series of art work a friend had worked on. Here’s the link to that post if you’re interested: Listen for the Black Dog (LINK).

freespirit, I so enjoy when you stop by. It makes me smile. I like the brushwood, wand like. And now I want to know what brushwood is.

Thanks QM, I am so glad you put together this blog. Everyones writing brings me peace, it’s as if I am there on their walks. If I may, allow me to quote from a book I am reading, “The only way we know it’s true is that we both dreamed it. That’s what reality is. It’s a dream everyone has together.” f/ Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides pg. 343

shot like an arrow
red fox bolts from a thicket
all thats left, a streak.

as a cold wind howls
one lone leaf flips on its side,
where is my warm mate?

freespirit, I like that definition of reality – a dream everyone has together. Community. Thank you for the quote. It looks like a totem has shown up in your haiku – the fox. I can feel the pause in the “streak.” Some friends of mine have recently spotted a fox near their pond. She brings them great joy. You don’t often see them in the daylight, as they are nocturnal hunters. They are such beautiful animals.

This is a lovely blog find. For a long while I did a daily haiku/photo on my photoblog. Got away from that, but I think I may need to re-instate it. BTW I recognize a lot of company on your blogroll. Can I hang around a bit?

Jessica, welcome – 3 wonderful haiku. Made me realize, too, I have no idea what a moorhen is (?).

And I wanted to say to everyone how much I am enjoying all the haiku. It is a great mix of flowing poetry, a few comments here and there, old friends and new readers, popping in and out. Really lovely.

R3, welcome to haiku land. 8) The one you wrote is kind of unsettled like the one I wrote last week. It makes me want to know more.

More good haiku has appeared over the last week. I like the Wyoming trilogy, breathepeace. oliverowl, lovely. Isn’t driving one of the best places to write haiku? barbara, junco in windstorm – and the swinging feeder. How *do* they hang on?

—————

standing in a cloud
following my tracks through snow
to get to the car

I have been an admirer of Natalie’s work since 1988 and was lucky enough to attend her workshop in Minneapolis in 1992. I mainly write plays although I did write a short (29 pages) memoir about a friend who died in 2005. The CD version of “Old Friend from Far Away” was invaluable in getting me started. Does anyone know whether the book is the same as the CD version or has it been expanded?

Robert, welcome. And great haiku. The CD version of Old Friend from Far Away is completely different. My understanding of the new book is that it is as close a sequel to Writing Down the Bones as you can get. I think the title is rooted in Zen and somehow relates the CD and book, but they are not the same.

freespirit, you’re back! So great to see your haiku again. I bet it’s quite spring-like in your neck of the woods. The season comes so much earlier there. Very lush. And the smells – the sweet smell of Spring. Makes me want to breathe a little deeper. 8)

As soon as I got off the computer last night, I came up with what might be a better haiku on the subject I was struggling with during entry # 111. I wrote it down on what was available, an unused book marker. I qualified the “better” because it’s not necessarily up to me. But I do hope that this version does a “better” job of creating the space/leap between the second and third line which Natalie writes about.

Snow in the forecast
robin snow is our Spring snow
no need for concern

94stranger, I came upon several Haiku in my Whole Whog Catalog ( a humorous attempt at the” Whole Earth Catalog” which was quite popular in the the late 60’s & early 70’s) though not in season, here is one attempt, I believe by Chevy Chase in 1980:

Robert, got it. I do think the plural is haiku. I’ll make the change for you, no problem. Hope the writer’s block doesn’t linger. Great to read your haiku. The sky has cleared here and the sun is out now. I haven’t written mine yet today. Maybe later. The night is young.

[…] link has over a hundred (as of March 25 2008) and is well worth a visit – or several!) https://redravine.wordpress.com/2008/01/15/haiku-one-a-day/ to the point where I now feel like re-posting mine here from now on, as and when I come up with […]

o.k. so maybe you got me. When I first read these I thought is that poetry or are they just fooling around. They don’t make sense. Since then I’ve read more and realized if you are a deep thinker, they do make sense.So I gave it a try. It’s usually hard for me to slow down but I’ve had more time lately. This is a good way to keep your mind active.

Great haiku rolling along here. Mom, so glad you joined in. I can picture the room, too. Very present to it. Haiku does slow things down. It’s almost like we have to pay attention to distill everything down to its essence.

Yeah, I think the imperative to be economical – and precise, syllable-wise, is a big challenge and a steep learning curve. at the same time, the rigid form makes me at least want to find every possible way of bending it to produce as much as it can.
And I agree with you both, there is something about being alive to the senses.
And as you said, QM, it’s like a nature diary. Whether one a day /will prove excessive remains / to be seen, I feel.

I love the pic of the birch bark.It brought back memories. When T was in reserve camp he made me a ring and bracelet from the bark. YOu soak it in water and let it dry around your finger or wrist and it makes a nice bracelet or ring. We were very straped for money and it was what he could afford to bring me at the time, so it was very special. I had it for a long time ,I’m not sure where it got to.

stranger, please do what feels right with your haiku practice. I want to say, I only know what I’ve learned over the last few years. Your practice will reveal itself to you. It’s great that you are posting with us.

You know what I’ve started to notice about our regular haiku posters is that you all have your own unique voices. And they show up even in the sparse lines of a haiku. I find that delicious.

breathepeace, my Winnetka is just outside of Minneapolis, a main artery out on the western edge of town. I have noticed that there is a Winnetka in Chicago, too. (I didn’t know that was where you were from but I thought it was the Midwest).

That name, and many other American Indian names, are indeed sprinkled throughout the Midwest. We have many Wabasha’s here, too. And in the government building in St. Paul, there is a bronze sculpture dedicated to Chief Wabasha.

The second one has a more natural rhythm, methinks. For me, what’s most important is the cadence and flow, not the rigor around 5-7-5. However, having said that, it’s seems to be important to use that structure as a container in the beginning, to hold your practice. Once you’ve mastered the structure, it seems only natural that you would then start to break it (as all masters do).

The California quail which we have here are hilarious, the males look like capuchin monkeys on a bird body – they have black faces with white lines around them, an orange cap with a dangly feather sticking out in front, spotted bodies with multicolored bellies…They are hysterical now with their “distraction yoga” as the females lay eggs in open sand depressions. In the early spring I will hear the females just before dawn, singing a repetitive whistling tune as the sun comes up behind the mountain while they sit on their eggs. When the families hatch out, they will run along behind the parents, on the wall, across the road, sometimes 8 or more in a row.

I love your descriptions of the mating quail. They are adorable! I saw one today flitting across the road between cars. I’m always amazed that they get across. Fortunately the speed limit on that road where I always see them is not too high — 25 mph, with speed humps to ensure the cars don’t go faster.

Had I the heavens’ embroidered clothes,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
_____________________________

stranger, got it – correction made. That last one’s grounded in the humming train (#198). Peaceful. I’m happy that you join us here. I look forward to the the next haiku from our readers. I have yet to write mine for today. It’s gray, chilly, and a little somber.

It’s true. The haiku structure, once you get started, becomes internalized, and once you have the structure, you begin filling it naturally. I’m on my way to Chicago to attend a wedding this past weekend; a haiku occurs to me, #196, and I write it down. (Rest assured, I wasn’t driving). As for the wedding, this haiku captures what my friend, the father of the bride, said himself in a joking manner. At the reception, of course.

Chicago wedding,
A friend’s daughter is married.
Just four more to go.

great insight, stranger, about it being a sort of diary. And not the least bit dreary for others to read, but yes, a taking of one’s temperature, not always emotional; rather, our relationship to what’s around us.

Robert Morse — that reminded me of my father with four daughters and a granddaughter raised like a fifth. And a son.

Hi yb,
as you will know, the recently-diagosed ‘stranger’s syndrome’ consists in writing six syllables instead of five. Do I detect in line one of your latest (no 219) signs of a condition so far unknown to poetic science?

Yb: at the risk of appearing perverse; I counted ‘smile a haiku’ as 4 syllables; are you demanding the enunciation smy-ul in order to get 5 syllables out of these three words? Come on, fess up and tell us what’s going on! – remember, I’m only British, American is not my first language, lol.

when I first read your number 231, I thought it was a little gem, and so much so that it left nothing to say; what DO you say in the face of death: ‘bad luck, old bean?’

I’m writing this for everyone, just because I’ve always been the one calling loudly for ‘comments please!’ and your haiku, as indeed several others here at various times, just made me feel llike saying to myself – ‘shut up and let it be there’s absolutely nothing you can add – if you try, you’ll just subtract.’
I guess I did – apologies.

stranger; no apologies necessary…I am enjoying all the haikus SO much! Each one is such a distillation of words down to the barest essence…I think, for me; that makes it all the more difficult to make comments, except for BRAVO! BRAVISSIMO!

So, you’re British, eh? (That’s Canadian to add an “eh” at the end.) I dedicate this one to you and my British friend whose comment, incorporated in the haiku, followed his first drink of “American” tap water.

How was the water?
” Rah-ther like a swimming pool,”
handing me the glass

I have admired many of the haiku offered here that are grounded in nature which is traditionally, I believe, the starting point for haiku. Mine have been. for the most part, about anything but nature, (although I did mention an oak tree once). What follows feels like it is subject matter covered elsewhere, somewhere. But here goes.

It starts with one bird,
The Symphony to the Dawn.
Nature’s alarm clock.

Yb (and her fellow-Americans!)
miniature is pronounced ‘minicher’ over here, except by Elizabeth Mountbatten (Queen), who I guess would say ‘minichaw’, though I find it difficult to imagineher using such a vulgar-sounding word.

Robert, though haiku is rooted in Nature, I think it’s good for all of us to play with the form. Especially on a blog. It seems that experimenting and straying from the rules are part of the play of language (from your comment #243).

oliverowl, the snow just isn’t letting up this year. Last night, we had thunderstorms and hard, hard rain. Everything is finally greening up. No flowers yet.

chickenlil, I like your gym haiku – especially #247. 8)

diddy, when I read your haiku (#241), I always picture your huge yard back from the road. I get a visual of the seasons passing where you live.

I appreciate your interest in #254. I find myself trying to write little autobiographical tidbits. Capturing the essence of something important in your life in haiku form is a challenge.
I did one on the “Shepherd of late-night radio.” For those who might not know, that referred to the late, great Jean Shepherd, a radio genius, best-known for writing, and narrating, the movie “A Christmas Story.”

As for The Monster Show, there really was one. It is a favorite “I remember” topic from my notebooks. I put on the show with three of my friends in 1962. Some kids from the neighborhood actually showed up to see it. After the two Martians arrived at the end and vaporized Frankenstein and Dracula, they invited the audience down for lemonade and cookies. All was temporarily right with the world.

Robert, I like your autobiographical haikus. Distilling experiences like that down to 17 syllables, capturing the essence of a life experience without a lot of words, opens doors. Oliverowl has a few like that, too, about relationships and love. I enjoy all of those.

Also we had a conversation about Jean Shepherd last December on the post, Eating December Snowflakes (LINK) (there’s also a link to an NPR story on him in the post). Sharon (bloomgal), one of our Guests, and I were talking about him and his work (Comments 13 & 14). It’s great that your haiku was a tribute to him. I love that.

This was written after 2 days of our company & us witnessing a robin enjoying the pleasures of my vehicle. My husbands truck, Father-in-laws car, & our boat untouched. We have photos that are unbelievable! This bird is not viewing itself in the mirrors, but the roof, hood, & windows are the target. These incidents occur late at night & early morning. None of us has ever seen anything like it! He puffs his belly & flutters on every part of my vehicle! Very much a mating ritual. Tomorrow we hope to capture it on video! D

I just returned from a trip to Egypt. Very different land and seascape there for writing haiku than here in Wyoming. I’ve enjoyed catching up by reading the daily haiku posted here while I was away. You all have been busy! Here are five favorite haiku from my journey:

exotic Cairo–
pollution shrouds horizon,
garbage floats on Nile

light shines on desert,
shimmers over source of life:
full moon in Egypt

old and new worlds touch–
pyramids and evening prayer
beside hotel pool

breathepeace, I had no idea you were in Egypt (#267). Thank you so much for sharing these haiku with us that you wrote there. I’m thinking about the last April (Pink Frog) full moon — how I was watching it here in Minneapolis, you were viewing it in Egypt. Was it really 112 degrees? I couldn’t take that kind of heat for long. I am such a winter person. I’d love to hear more about your trip. Are you planning to write any pieces about it? I always wanted to visit the pyramids. Thanks again for these haiku.

We’ve got one dab of color on the garden hill next to the driveway. Liz, her sister, mom, and I were backing out of the driveway and noticed one tiny flower. I rolled down the window, and we all peered out into the garden. Liz’s sister said, “That’s Sweet William! Beautiful.” We all felt so much joy from a single Spring bloom.
________________

diddy, I forgot, I had wanted to comment on your robin on viagra (#266). I mean, what’s the deal?! I’d never heard of that before. Really great haiku. Your poor Honda — she must be reeling. Keep us posted!

QM, Daddy was the first to notice the robin & it’s shenanigans. It is amazing! This bird flutters all over the Honda, puffing it’s chest & of course pooping! We have had to wash my car 3 times this week & it doesn’t matter where I park! Yesterday shortly after J washed it, I peeked out & the robin was back. I snuck up on it & took the water hose (full stream) to the bird. I thought perhaps that would do the trick. I was wrong. My car needs washed again! I have to write a story about this weird bird. I have named it The Little Blue Pill! D

Ed Stamm (#279) and poniday (#280), great play with the relationship imagery. I’m intrigued and want to know more. I think that’s a great thing about haiku – you get just enough to engage — your imagination fills in the rest. Welcome to red Ravine.

________________________

wind through red dogwood
spring rises in the garden
swatting the first fly

Great stuff continues to appear on this post. I especially liked Ed’s #279. It immediately creates a visual image.

As for chickenlil’s #288, my guess is that most of the time, we’re oblivious to when these doors open. Years later, they seem more obvious. But writing about those missed doors can open new ones too. “Wheels within wheels”. (I don’t know who said that first, but I know that P.G. Wodehouse put the words into the mouth of at least one of his love-befuddled young characters).

God’s in the details.
And the Devil is there too?
Just write. See who shows.

I really liked oliverowl’s fierce dandelions, #304. I remember loving dandelions as a kid and feel they’ve been given a bum rap in that they’re treated like weeds.

I apologize in advance for the following. Part of it was an entry I made on a graffiti wall. (This was no ordinary graffiti wall; I was its creator and would, on occasion, become its censor if an entry didn’t meet the standard I had in mind. I would literally get out the Comet and the sponge.)

Robert,
Glad you liked the fierce “dandy-lions”
I like your funny, (or should I say “punny”) haiku, and it would be especially wise to “take heed,” if the lovers were Eskimos…whose show of affection is the rubbing of noses, right?

94stranger,
Forgive me for being so dense, but I need more clues as to what to imagine…help me, please.
—————————————————-
WHILE DRIVING IN MONTANA THIS MORNING

stranger, you got that right! You just can’t match the freezer interior of winters in the Midwest! (Comment#316). Do you ever have cold weather there on the South Coast of England? Great images — the strong turquoise sea and whitecaps.

oliverowl, love #317. There is something peaceful about it. Hope you had a good birthday. 8)

stranger,
I would be flattered and pleased to have you post my haiku on the beautiful batik! I read your Camelot poems and enjoyed them very much. They carried me back in memory to a privileged time spent in your beautiful UK. I met no lords of wheat or barley, but knew a wonderful lord of hops, on whose farm in Kent I was a guest. It was fall, and the misty, “hoppin’ mornings” were magical times for strolls along dense hedges that gave up their black berries for me.

QM,
I had a lovely, quiet Birthday, and although I spent it in the Archives, there were flowers, friends, cake & coffee.
I was taken out to dinner, where one piece of too-rich chocolate cake sufficed for the four of us! Phone calls from loved ones completed the day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
another year gone
a row of cards remind me
hide them with flowers `

oliverowl, I know those misty mornings in Kent so well – I’ve picked hops / apples there on about three separate occasions. There used to be gypsies working there too. One year I saw a girl – maybe 15 – standing in a doorway:

oliverowl, glad you had a good birthday (#323). Hiding the cards with flowers sounds like a good idea. 8)

skywire, hello!

stranger, I guess I am a country girl in city-wolf’s clothing (#320). About living on Lake Michigan and taking inspirational writing breaks in Minneapolis — I think I would feel too isolated. I thought about that while I was there though.

Could I live away from most people in nature and write? Maybe for as long as it took to write a book. But I do like being in close proximity to a large city, for the cultural opportunities and people. I think I would miss that.

#333 & #334 evoke such a lovely mental picture of women hanging clothes out on the line…I love ’em!
No one has yet come up with a fabric softener that comes even close to the fragrance of line-dried clothes!

Love the tiny cartoon feet Robert. I smiled so big when I saw that line. BTW, I like the way you rewrote the line in #264 (see #337) into “scraps of truth unearthed.” More grounded (no pun intended). Nice.

Robert, you crack me
up, and this haiku’s not all
it’s cracked up to be

————————————

nobody will believe
the me / be rhyme above was a
neat trick up God’s sleeve

I had no idea
it was there, until out it
popped: isn’t that queer?

[The two-syllable word (yb!) queer either rhymes – or more accurately can be made to rhyme – with idea)

No haku can adequately convey the cosmic serendipity involved, during my present period of rhyming (obsessively, do I hear you mutter?) lines one and three, in the fact that after ferocious concetration on the word play around cracked, to parallel Robert’s in 345, I suddenly discover – oh Joy! – that a line 1 and 3 rhyme has fallen into the haiku out of nowhere.

It seems like people are having some fun. I believe that jokes, even bad ones, should see the light of day, especially if they are true. Therefore, I should mention that in an earlier version of what became #345, I had a souffle at the buffet. But I dropped it.

Yes, lots of fun in the haiku posts. Rhyming stranger, I kind of like the rhymes, and Robert, did you really drop the souffle? oliverowl, spring fever is a good thing! I like the curly locks of lavender.

I assume that you mean the last line of #413. I have a memory of picking a bouquet of flowers for my Mom while walking home from school, 1st Grade being my best guess. Most of the bouquet was made up of dandelions. But there were other flowers, and I distinctly remember a tulip. At age 6, my sense of private property was not, shall we say, fully developed. I didn’t feel, at the time, that I was doing anything wrong in gathering flowers from others gardens. Flowers were flowers and belonged to everyone. Or so I thought, if I thought at all.

Robert Morse, yes, #413, thanks for the correction (I was 1/400th off on that number which can make a big difference in these haiku). And thank you for responding. A Marxist of six — that makes total sense. I can see how flowers would have belonged to everyone. I am always struck by what we remember and how long those memories carry on. Some of the most vivid childhood memories are those where we are doing something independent, standing up, yet we might get into trouble because we’ve crossed a boundary of some sort.

Back to the present. They are putting a new roof on our neighbor’s house this morning. And Mr. Stripeypants is sleeping on the clean laundry. 8)

________________

Pants in the laundry
pounding on the roof next store
cactus garden blooms

QM,
What lovely haikus. I cannot express to you how grateful I am to have have you here. Experiencing the love of relatives who have come from other states, family that live here, & the friends who have all been such a great to support. I am grateful to be surrounded by such sincere love & caring.
To Marylin, who is Liz’s mother & by fate we met through redRavine.
Thanks to redravine for coming into life months ago. Truly a great inspiration for me. I have been checking in every night, even through this adverse situation. I am certain that with such love & prayer in addition to the excellent care being given by the hospital staff. We have already seen such great progress.
And it is amazing how many strangers who have family in either ICU or CCU that we have met & hugged & supported each other through our ordeals.
Wonderful, good energy! And yes, we have witnessed miracles!
In addition I want to thank yb. QM has told me of the prayer & good energy you are sending to J & our family from afar.
Well, time to make my nightly call to the hospital for an update.
Again, thanks to all. I am certain that we are getting over the hurdle & as Daddy put it so well to the Dr. when he told us J was getting out of the woods & Daddy said that J is nearing the end of the woods.
Prayer, good energy & support are truly appreciated!
As always, love D

QM,
My work partner is intriged by the boiled peanuts, even went online yesterday to learn more. She asked one seller if she could have a small sample, but was denied. (Smallest order was 3 cans for $4.99+ shipping.) She has led a sheltered life; never lived any place except Montana; never been on an airplane. Hope you & Liz are enjoying being family history detectives.

oliverowl, the boiled peanuts are great. My sister asked us to bring her home some today, too. She called as we were driving up from St. Simon’s to Savannah. I think we’re going to be bringing quite a few peanuts back from Georgia. I did see today that they had boiled peanuts in cans at a convenience store. I had never seen them that way. Can’t be as good as the fresh vats we see in S.C. and Georgia.

______________

live oaks, dripping sweat
up the coast to Savannah
gallons of sweet tea

QM, in the can is a Southern thing, but they are far from what you get fresh at the roadside stands!
If oo could order raw peanuts on line they she could easily prepare them for her friend.
BTW, We used to have a Food Lion grocery store in a town nearby & they sold the peanuts in a can, along with lots of other Southern items. But they have closed down. 😦

It’s good to catch up on all the great haiku. breathepeace, I like the change to “holding” in #468. Robert, like the change to Monkey Mind in #472. Laura and oliverowl, beautfiul. It’s good to be back with more time to read. 8)

These were the last lines in one of my Writing Practices today. I decided to turn them into a haiku: My brain is trying to kill me. My heart tries to throw me a life preserver. My body’s caught in the middle.

________________

heart life preserver
my brain is trying to kill me
body caught between

ybonesy, your haiku from your Writing Practice (#485) fits together perfectly. Really makes you think. I like the last line — thousand-year-old skin. I find a lot of lines come from Writing Practices that make for good poetry.

QM: I’m with my mom on Cable Lake in far northwestern Wisconsin. This is where I first read Clark Strand’s book and learned to write haiku. I’ve dubbed it “haiku heaven.” It is my heart’s home and also my favorite place on earth.
________________________________________________

breathepeace – I am happy to know you are that much closer to us here in Minnesota (for the time being) (#494). I can imagine you there. 8) There is nothing like spending time in our favorite place on earth. It’s amazing how tranquil your haiku are in that place, too. And how all that comes through in 17 syllables.

Last night we watched the Full August Moon rise by a fire at a friend’s house. A Great Horned Owl flew over the pond. They see them nearly every night, right outside their door.

___________________________

great horned owl feathers
moon floating over the pond,
a wild raptor’s screech

[…] NOTE: Today Dee had a horse show, and once again I was so impressed by the gentleness of these animals as they carried their young riders that I wanted to do a haiku as a tribute to The Horse. The above rider is friend and former neighbor; her horse is Curly. This photo is not a good one (Em recommended against using it altogether), but it’s the best I have from the few I snapped (plus, I’d rather not publish kids’ faces since I didn’t get permission). -Related to post haiku (one-a-day) […]

a~lotus, I’m really enjoying your haiku. wonderful. you capture the simplicity and grace of the everyday in #515. wow.

oliverowl, so sad about the Shoshone National Forest (#513). I had not heard it on the news. Don’t know where I’ve been. I remember that helpless feeling when I lived in Montana and the forests would be burning all around us. Once in Missoula, there was a fire right up Rattlesnake Canyon. It takes so long for the land to recover. Sigh…

Here’s one for the rest of the buckthorn I need to tear out next to the house:

_________________

invasive gnarled limbs
sky-blue clouds in buckthorn skies
time for the chainsaw

a~lotus, I’m a little late getting here, but I made the correction. No problem. Great haiku (#529). I heard an NPR show on the storm that is heading for the Gulf Coast. They were interviewing people who had survived Katrina and are now prepping for this storm; that’s got to be scary. On the second one, you are still within the 17 syllables. It all works!

QM — I’m okay. On the last day (8/21) of vacation in Wisconsin, I was trimming a maple limb, which hung over my mother’s deck. I fell 12 feet to the ground and suffered a 30% anterior compression fracture to my first lumbar vertebrae. One day, maybe I should do a post on “choosing a landing.” Whether over water, or solid ground, there is one moment where you get to choose: face first or feet, etc. I made a lucky guess on landing and was walking, albeit painfully, later the same day. Here are four fractured-back haiku:

8.21.08
sawing maple limb,
when it breaks free, I am falling–
land in startling pain

8.23.08
constant companion,
pain dwells in right hip:
reminder of good fortune

breathepeace, oh, my heart aches for you. I’m so sorry. Your haiku reflect and capture your pain; also the gratitude you feel for the support you have received and the healing. You are an amazing woman. I have always had great respect for you and the way you live your life. Sending warm healing energy. And a big hug.

_________________

warm thoughts to my friend
grateful, healing across miles
sky ribbons of love

Breathpeace, thank goodness you didn’t fracture any haiku-making parts! Heal well.
Oliverowl, I love your crickets
QM Thank you, it’s good to be back – and with some new kids on the block.
Robert, for me 545 is the big one: a frisson factor of at least 8 on a scale of 1 to 10

Thanks for your comment and welcome back. I meant to dedicate 545 to George Carlin; I guess it’s not too late. His love for putting word usage under the microscope was one of his greatest talents. He may have done a bit on “partly cloudy” as opposed to “partly sunny”. I recommend to everyone Carlin’s “Modern Man” which is viewable on YouTube. It shows, for one thing, that he saved some his best work for the later part of his career.

Some really nice haiku here. Wow. I just went back and read a few from the past few weeks; it stopped all the chatter in my head.

Robert Morse, who *will* save the night? Interesting about Carlin (#558). Liz and I watched an hour show of him on, I think, Sundance. Can’t remember for sure. But it was in the later part of his life. He was fearless, kept going strong and sharp, right to the end. When I was watching that film, I couldn’t help but remember him in his early career, how popular he was for speaking out with wit and humor.

breathepeace, love 557. Nice twist. Something about red geraniums. Thanks to everyone who leave their haiku here. Very grounding to read each day.

Tigerlily, welcome back (#588). I can hear those crickets in the pines.

breathepeace, so glad your son is home. That must feel like a HUGE relief. Peace at home…maybe that’s where it all begins. Yes, let’s raise a glass — clink. (I like #589, too. Exactly how I’ve been feeling lately.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
QM, last Sat. I watched “Austin City Limits,” the hour was devoted to the annual bluegrass festival in Golden gate Park; so I was there “virtually” and feeling nostalgic about my college days in Berkeley.
( A Sunday afternoon in the park was a cheap date .)

Robert Morse, how strange…I actually wrote a little political haiku this morning BEFORE you dropped your comment in. I was thinking about the debates. I’m not entering the contest, but now that you’ve left your comment, I’ll drop my haiku in here.

[…] According to Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, the A. gemma is “sometimes called the ‘cat-face’, ‘monkey-face’ or ‘humpback’ spider since it has a pattern of dark markings and raised areas on its back that seem face-like. Females of this spider are generally rounded with angular ’shoulders’ and can reach a size exceeding a quarter. They make webs in undisturbed corners, often near porch lights, and are often found in late August and September around the eaves of houses… A. gemma hides in dark corners at the edge of the web during the day. She remains in contact with the web via a ‘trap-line’ thread that signals when insects have been ensnared.” Jim found this spider under a cropping of overgrown juniper bushes. It was a large spider but not nearly as large as the Orb Weaver pictured in recent post Reflections On My Love Of Fall. -related to post: haiku (one-a-day) […]

Thanks to all for the wonderful haiku. What a great name for a rock group – The Screaming Trees. Yes, lotus, winter’s definitely upon us here in Minnesota. In fact, I’m about to do another cold one. 8)

Speaking of screaming trees, that reminds me of Dante’s Inferno‘s trees that were screaming as these birds were picking on them, or was it the harpies?? I can’t remember. (The trees were those who committed suicide.)

Out of curiosity, I googled The Screaming Trees. The only origin for their name I could find was that they took their name “from a guitar distortion pedal”. That’s an origin a bit more pedestrian than the possibilities raised on this site. Then again, who named the distortion pedal? Why was it given such a provocative name? I’m not going to google that one. Sorry.

Forgive me, lords and ladies, that I come
to these fair shores from a land of screaming trees.
Hence is it that my thoughts do ricochet
like ice shards and that my emotions too
rumble fierce as the galed sea in caverns;
roar with the might and majesty of forests.

And if in that unholy place called Earth
I too were tree:
I would be screaming.

_______________________________________
Coming back after a time away, I’m bowled over by the level of so many of your haiku: I’m both moved and admiring of the technical brilliance – its true that these things have a strange power. And true also that to write unfettered by 17 syllables is a bliss known only to those who have long sojourned in Haikunia.

a~lotus, a sword that gets pulled from a strange rock – reminds me of King Arthur’s Sword In The Stone. It was one of my favorite movies as a child.

stranger, the poem about the screaming trees, where is that from? lotus references Dante’s Inferno. I’ve never read Divine Comedy. I imagine it would take me a lot of patience to get through it. Something to consider for a practice.

Thanks breathepeace, oliverowl, diddy, Robert Morse, Laura, lotus.

Hey oliverowl, did Mike send those to you from New York? Or was he visiting over the Holidays? Wonderful.

QM: This haiku thing seems to be first and foremost your project, so this addressed to you rather than yb, though not to exclude her. We’re nearing the end of the year – and this haiku post has got loooooong!!!!

So, how about – if you’re interested – creating a haiku calender?: images from the photographers and one haiku each chosen from the regular contributors (if there are more than twelve, draw lots or something).

I’ll stop right there – this is only the germ of an idea: do others feel inclined to water it or uproot it?…. over to you…

QM, yes, Brant was here & we crafted a Christmas card for my grandniece Emily. They are the same age & are great friends. This morning he woke me up at 6am. We had fruit loops for breakfast & started crafting again. The gifts are for his great grandparents & grandparents. He is quite creative & it ended up being a long day. We also made a lunch of impossible cheeseburge ie (thanks to Bisquick!), spinach which is his favorite vegetable, & deviled eggs. Geesh, I need a nap!

handmade gifts are best
crafted with labor of love
MeMe cleans up mess

stranger, I like your 94S original very much. Thank you for sharing it with us here.

And about the haiku post, yes, we have thought of doing an end-of-year wrap-up on this haiku post. I love your idea of the haiku calendar as a way to wrap things up. I’ll talk it over with ybonesy, too, and see what she thinks.

One way or another, we’ll do a post, a tribute to all those who kept the haiku practice up for a whole year. It’s not easy to do anything consistently for a year. There is always that draw, the temptation, to put things off, to “do it tomorrow.” (That’s all Monkey Mind.) But a year-long practice changes you. I know it’s taught me a lot about myself.

I have another haiku post that I’m thinking about for next year. Kind of an expansion on this one with a little twist. We’ll see at what point I get to posting it. Probably sometime in January. Thanks to all who leave and continue to leave their haiku here. It’s our pleasure.

diddy, wonderful idea to have Brant create his Christmas presents by doing his art. I bet all will be thrilled to receive them. And it’s fun for you, too. I have yet to see one of your mandalas, diddy.

It’s snowy and wintry here in Minnesota this morning. I need to go do some writing soon. Here’s a tribute to our squirrels who are out there eating the leftovers from our baking Rocks fiasco…you know what they say..one squirrel’s ceiling is another human’s floor. 8)

__________

squirrels eat rancid nuts
we threw out just yesterday
from bad batch of Rocks

@QM: I think I need to see that movie again — “The Sword and the Stone”. 🙂 Wasn’t it by Disney? I don’t ever think I’ve completely watched the whole thing though.

@redRaviners: I’ve been writing a whole lot lately in the midst of all this stress because of final exams and the end of the semester thing. I did NaPo(etry)WriMo instead of the NaNo(vel)WriMo, which is traditionally for the month of November. I can’t do fiction, so it’s my unofficial NaPo for last month. The official month is April, which I’m definitely looking forward to! Last month, I wrote a total of 37 full-length poems (not drafts, mind you, but poems)! I’m so proud that I’ve written this much! It was my coping mechanism as this semester had been crazy–the hurricane, the car accident, etc.. Poetry brought me peace.

I miss you all. *hugs* I’m at work right now, so I’ll be back to post a haiku/senryu. 🙂

Hmm, about the haiku calendar thing. That sounds interesting. I don’t know how that’s going to work, but I’m interested in knowing more about it and joining the bandwagon.

And yes, I agree with QM, a year-long practice of writing haiku had been a challenge. I joined rather late into the game, but at least I got a chance to know about redRavine through Read Write Poem, so I’m really grateful about that. And plus, this place is another place to call home, where everyone can write freely and interact through the power of words. I’ve learned so much about everyone, different approaches to writing, writing styles, and various topics… I can go on and on!

But come January 2009, I’m going to open my personal challenge (on my blog) to keeping up writing haiku. It’ll help me grow even more as a poet. (Yep, my early NY’s resolution.)

A while back, I mentioned a haiku contest to which I submitted two entries. One is on this blog. I made the mistake of submitting the second via the internet without writing it down first. I have since recalled it to the best of my ability, and possibly improved it. Warning: I apologize ahead of time for the subject matter which is associated with a certain Alaskan governor if there are any fans of said governor out there.

a~lotus, I’ve been meaning to get back to this thread and respond to your last comment. First of all, thanks so much for the kudos. ybonesy and I both appreciate it so when we hear about some of the positive influences of red Ravine. It really helps us to keep going with this labor of love. 8)

About the calendar, I need to touch base with ybonesy about stranger’s idea at our next meeting. I’m not sure what we’ll be doing yet, but it will be a tribute to this year-long practice and all the great haiku that people left here.

I’m also going to continue the haiku practice next year and will probably do another haiku post in January with a little different bent. So stay tuned!

Finally, congrats on NaPo(etry) and your 37 full length poems. Wow, that’s fantastic. Sounds like you’ve been through a lot this year and in spite of that, kept at your writing and your practices. Sometimes it’s our practices that keep us sane in the hard times. That and a well-rounded community. Thanks for sharing.

Robert, no offense taken. I remember when you entered that contest of political haiku back at the height of the election. I can relate to not writing some of my haiku down. I’ve lost a few good ideas that way, too.

a~lotus, will keep you posted as we know more. I tend to move slowly on these things. So many things I want to do, so little time. 8)

QM, I don’t know if you remember our large bird feeder or not, but somehow a squirrel managed to lift the backside of the plexiglass & got trapped (or so we thought) inside.
He was actually pretty smart! He also lifted it to get back out! Now we need to squirrel proof it. They are eating all the sunflower seeds. D

A~Lotus, that little Pennsylvania squirrel has a mind of its own! Reminds me a little of Smith Lake Jake the groundhog and his dynamic personality. BTW, that last haiku sticks with me. The images.

diddy, I was just thinking, you get some of the strangest wildlife events in your backyard. Remember the bird that wouldn’t stop pooping on your car? I can’t remember what kind it was, and now this gutsy squirrel. 8) We put food out for the squirrels on a table on the deck. They used to bother our feeders but don’t go for them anymore. The other day, we had a red squirrel, a fox-red stripe down its back.

QM, yes lots of wildlife in our backyard! They are safe here, because the land that surrounds us it posted against hunting. The squirrel was just so funny & J thought he would have to put on gloves & release it from the feeder, but that was one smart squirrel! I just wish we had taped the ordeal. My parents were here a few weeks ago & we saw one of those brush coyotes. He was huge! I love the view to my backyard!

We have taken the narrow road
to the deep north:
shall we, like pilgrims,
arrive at the shrine?
Or have we not already
visited the holy places of
companionable discourse;
met with the sacred flower,
the divine wind,
and the sublime snowflake falling…?

This is a line from a sketch I wrote for my comedy group over twenty-five years ago. The comedy group has been defunct (not one of my favorite words) since the 1980’s, but in my mind it still lives. The line happens to have 17 syllables and seems to work in the haiku format. There are single quotation marks around it because a character is reading it off of a wall.

Robert, I agree with A~Lotus. Wonderful end-of-year haiku. I love that the haiku keep coming in. I read them every day I’m online. I’d better get cracking on that new haiku post. Or I’m going to go through withdrawl. I’d really miss not hearing from all our haiku masters every day. 8)

Sorry to be away for so long, but DELIGHTED to hear that there is another year of one-haiku-a-day planned! It was my resolution last year and I’ve already renewed my commitment to continue in 2009. What a joy to be able continue sharing with this community and to read your marvelous haiku!

My haiku practice book is a Moleskine calendar/journal. On the left side is the calendar page, with just enough space for a haiku-a-day. On the right is a regular lined page, where I keep a running journal/diary, or write extra haiku. I already bought another for 2009. Sometimes, I miss days, and I go back and make them up, noting the make-up date. After all, it’s the practice, not perfect timing, that’s important.

world a confection
dusted with powdered sugar:
last night, it turned cold

@breathepeace: I am too going to join in renewing my haiku practice! I am fascinated with how you went about keeping up with your practice by keeping a Moleskine calendar/journal. I usually write on Post-it notes or on the “Notepad” software on the computer–be it at work, school, or home.

Your ‘ku sounds delicious!! Lots of sugar!! 🙂

————————

my feet on tiptoes
with arms outstretched then crossed, melts
like turkey dressings

breathepeace, like A~Lotus, I’m so glad you’ll be joining us in 2009. And I should note again that you were part of the inspiration for this year-long practice. I’m kind of hooked on the haiku now. I love the idea of the Moleskine calendar/journal for your haiku. I think Hemingway used those to write in didn’t he?

I received a Sacred Journey Journal from Mom in the mail that’s one option for me. I also am thinking of using another little book that a woman in our poetry group brought back from, I think it was Tibet. No, it was Nepal. I like to write more than one haiku so, like you, need extra space.

I really like this part of your haiku practice:

Sometimes, I miss days, and I go back and make them up, noting the make-up date. After all, it’s the practice, not perfect timing, that’s important.

Progress, not perfection. Setting intention, following through. So great to hear from you. Happy Holidays to all our haiku friends! 8)

___________

the joy of Christmas
Chaco’s purring loud rumble
soft heartbeat of life

@QM: That’s a wonderful ‘ku of Chaco. Is he/she a cat? Also, I have to apologize for not being able to read and comment on your wonderful entries here (as well as yb’s) for a while. It seems that I’ve gotten buiser catching up with life (after the craziness of this past academic semester)! (I desperately needed some “me time”.) Still, I have to say that all of your entries and photos are absolutely wonderful and stunning! I’ve skimmed through some of yours and yb’s entries, but I wish I had more time to read, DIGEST, and give you my thoughtful responses to them because I really enjoy going here to visit whenever I get a chance. 🙂 Please forgive me. I hope you both didn’t think I’ve abandoned you! I’m always linking to this site whenever I post some of my responses to writing practices or haiku/senryu. Also, I treasure our writing collaboration and friendship. I love that we’re all taking on this beautiful journey together along with the rest of redRaviners. Please pass on this message to yb for me as well. 🙂 *hugs!*

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slants of the morning
peace settles like birds on wires,
then a startled flight

Oops, sorry about that — I hit enter and submitted the previous post before I even got started.

Just wanted to say that I found this site a month or so ago and I love the idea of writing a haiku a day. I wanted to post one then, but was too shy. I thought now might be a good time to try and join in, with the new year approaching –hope that is okay.

I’m so glad you decided to join in, Maureen! Yes, more than OK. Thank *you* for sharing your haiku. Very nice. I read it a couple of times, and it really soothes the soul to read.

I haven’t commented on this post for a while, but I watch with such admiration the regulars. I’m glad to hear that several of you will continue the practice into 2009. I am going to seriously ask myself whether I can also set that intention and join in. Hope I can.

Maureen, I’d like to extend a welcome to you, too. Looking forward to more of your haiku. It’s almost a new year…so hard to believe how they fly by.

A~Lotus, sorry it’s taken me so long to get back to you on your comment – December 26, 2008 at 11:52 am. Yes, Chaco is one of our cats, a black Siamese who has been very sick the last few weeks, but amazingly is starting to feel much better. It’s been our Christmas gift to see him get his strength back. BTW, no need at all to apologize. None of us can read everything that comes along. I’m just grateful for the time people do have to leave a haiku or comment. It’s a great gift and always a surprise. 8)

___________________

dog-paddling the gap
between Christmas & New Year’s
will I sink or swim?

@QM: Aww, thank you. I am glad that you enjoy these little daily “gifts”! After all, haiku are written for the present moment, so we should live in the present. That is why the present is called a gift. 🙂

Also, why don’t we have the numbered comments for point of reference anymore? I’d always found that helpful. Like if I want to respond to someone, I can always say @name of person (comment #x). It’s easier that way.

A~Lotus, regarding your comment – December 29, 2008 at 10:24 pm – WordPress took the comment numbers away in the last big update a few weeks ago. I’m not fond of the change either as it makes it harder to comment back to a specific person.

When I asked about it, they said they had added links to the comments in the date and time. But, unless I’m missing something about how to use them, I am not finding the comment links all that helpful. I guess it’s something we’ve got to live with. I reference by date and time now. If anyone comes up with a better way to reference specific comments, please chime in. Personally, I miss the numbers. 😦

I’ve enjoyed posting haiku on this site for most of the year fast coming to a close and look forward to doing so in 2009. To finish off the year, I’m going to return to an old entry and show my writer’s mind at work. You can play along if you like!
I’ll explain what I mean by that shortly. First, here is the entry from 7/14/08.

Some time passed. One day, it dawned on me that there was an error here, an error of the itsy-bitsy, teeny-tiny variety. This mistake did not really hurt what I was saying in the haiku. (What was I saying, anyway?) But still, there it was: Call it Writers’ Itch. Predictably, I felt the need to scratch it. Here is where my fellow haiku writers come in: Can you see the mistake? If not, don’t beat yourself up about it. If you want more time, take it. I will explain the mistake below. And my solution.

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In the second line, I reference three songs about Mondays, “Manic Monday” by The Bangles, “Rainy Days and Mondays” by The Carpenters, and “Monday, Monday” by The Mamas and Papas. The problem is with the song by The Carpenters. I mentioned “rainy” in the haiku, but the song talks about rainy days separately from Mondays although it might be assumed that a rainy Monday might REALLY get them down.

I told you the mistake was minor.

But in my mind, there was always a solution. It has to do with a little number by Fats Domino called “Blue Monday”.
And so, the new, CORRECT version of the haiku is this:

Robert Morse, I had to really think about your comment (December 31, 2008 at 11:32 am) and I have to say, it’s a clever new twist and a great insight into the way your mind works. A true puzzle solver! I think you’ll like the new post when I get it up. I like the new version of your haiku better, too. I was a big fan of the Monday songs you mention and love the way you wove them into one haiku.

Your new version accounts for all 4 songs in that the Carpenters version, as you say, does talk about rainy Mondays being down times — Fats Domino’s Blue Monday is a great solution. I like the “can’t trust that day” addition, too.

I’m so happy you are coming back for another year of haiku. Can’t imagine the post without you. On into 2009!

Lotus, Hump Day is wonderful. Inhaling the last day.

oliverowl, thanks. Moving shadows tossed by the wind…what a great line. I think you are talking to Liz as I type. 8)

breathepeace, sad that you have to use the plural of war(s) in your haiku (December 31, 2008 at 11:48am). I was saddened today listening to NPR’s coverage of the Gaza Strip. Happy that your son is home. It must be a great relief and wonderful Holiday gift.

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New Year’s Eve cresting
short end to the longest year
circling through the night

Today, another day of big wind. I’ve been grouchy about it lately, even in my haiku. Until yesterday, when I read a passage in the book “Ceremony” by Leslie Marmon Silko and it changed everything. That is the most amazing power of books, isn’t it?

I’ve condensed the passage into a haiku so that I will always remember:

like the sun and sky,
wind and dust are part of life —
don’t swear at them

I don’t normally title my haiku, but, this one is called-fibber, fibber, pants on fire.

weather man said it
three loaves of bread, two gal. milk
so it must be true

Time will tell, weatherman!( I hate when they tell me how to dress (I’m an adult, can figure it out for myself) & now they tell me how much bread & milk to buy! 2 people couldn’t eat that much bread or use that much milk in a month!) D

A~Lotus, that is a beauty. Your haiku get stronger and stronger. BTW, I’m not sure if our regular haiku poets saw the comment in Thunder Moon haiku (July) (LINK), but there is a haiku contest called Haiku Blossoms. Here’s the comment I left in the post:

I also wanted to mention that I finally got back to our red Ravine 2009 Haiku post late yesterday. I had to re-locate the links I wanted to use, and now I need to finish up the body of the post and find a good photo to go along with it. I really hope to get our new Haiku post up before the last day of January. Sorry for the delay. But things in blog world always take longer than we think they will! Thanks for your patience! 8)

@breathepeace & QM: Thank you. I am glad that you are enjoying my haiku/senryu. It is the highest compliment when fellow friends and writers tell me that my poetry is getting stronger. I thank you kindly. 🙂

Also, thank you for the link, QM. I may consider it in my future endeavors. For now, I am still rediscovering with fresh perspectives this haiku-world.

And I can’t wait to see our 2009 ‘ku post will be like! 😀 Woohoo!!

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early arrival
warm air teased by the cool breeze
ruffling red feathers

Also to all of our haiku readers and writers, there is a new haiku post up for 2009 where you can drop your haiku. We had a visitor there, too, an author, that delighted ybonesy and me, and our red Ravine readers. Hope you will visit!